After listening to each introduction, Uy Phong leaned back, thoughtful for a moment, then asked,
"So… who's actually on the team?"
The group glanced at one another until the loudmouth in the middle grinned and jabbed a thumb at his chest, announcing like he was declaring victory in a war:
"Obviously me and Hai Minh. Now that you're here, that makes three. Done deal."
Uy Phong frowned, his gaze drifting to the tall, skinny boy shrinking in the corner.
"And you?"
The tall one flailed his hands like he'd just been accused of a crime.
"M-me? No, no. I'm on support and logistics. Like An Thu."
The girl instantly nodded, her eyes sparkling like, See? Told you so.
Before Uy Phong could press further, Ho Nhu threw up her hand as if she were calling bingo, voice sugary and carefree:
"I'm just tagging along for fun. And, well… because my boyfriend's here."
Uy Phong's mouth twitched. He exhaled a long, tired sigh. His IQ felt like it had just dropped ten points.
The loudmouth smirked, his tone edged with mockery.
"What's wrong? Not impressed with the roster? Got a problem? If not, then—"
Uy Phong cut him off. His voice was steady, deliberate, each word dropping like a gavel:
"Three players on a team? What kind of joke is that?"
He dragged out the last word, heavy with disapproval. The others stiffened, caught off guard. Still, the loudmouth raised his brows, smirking like he had the upper hand.
"What's that supposed to mean? Ever heard of 3x3? We've got exactly three people. That's a team, isn't it?"
Uy Phong rested his elbows on his knees, eyes like ice sweeping over them.
"No. We recruit more. Full-court. Five-on-five."
"What!?" Hai Minh snapped, face reddening as he fired back in rapid bursts:
"And who made you boss, huh!? You're the newbie! The leader here is Hung, not you! Don't think just because the principal's backing you up, you can say whatever you want!"
Hung clapped a hand on Hai Minh's shoulder, half chuckling, half sighing.
"Easy, Minh. Chill. He's older than you—you're making yourself look bad."
Then he turned toward Uy Phong, his grin fading into something closer to curiosity.
"Fine. Tell me then—why so dead set against 3x3?"
Uy Phong lowered his head slightly, shadow cutting across half his face. His voice dropped, steady and cold, just loud enough for all of them to hear:
"Because you won't win."
Hai Minh practically exploded, about to launch himself up the bleachers before the others dragged him back. Even Hung's usual playful smirk stiffened, his eyes narrowing. After a beat, he exhaled, voice low.
"Figures… Then why don't you be leader instead?"
"What the hell are you saying!?" Hải Minh barked, fury aimed straight at Hung, while An Thu frantically waved her hands.
"Calm down, Minh! Please!"
But Hung only shrugged, jamming his hands into his pockets.
"He's right. Our lineup's been the problem all along. No wonder we've never won a game. If he sees that clearly, then he's a better fit to lead than I am."
"That's crap!" Hai Minh roared. "We only dragged Huy in because we were short people! What does a support guy even know about basketball!?"
"Enough."
The word cut through the noise like a blade. All heads snapped toward Uy Phong. He sat, unmoving, hands clasped in front of him, eyes dark and sharp.
"This isn't about skill," he said, voice like iron. "It's about people."
The room went silent. No one dared breathe too loud.
"You—" his gaze locked on Hai Minh—"let your emotions run wild. You can't work in a team."
His eyes shifted.
"You—" the next target flinched—"never took this as responsibility. So you never pull your weight."
Then his stare cut to Hung.
"And you… utterly useless."
The words landed like blows. Not because of his tone, but because every single one struck a raw nerve.
"You think you're being the cheerful bridge? The peacemaker?" Uy Phong's voice sharpened. "All you've done is fuel the fire. That kind of 'leadership'… only makes it worse."
Silence pressed in.
Hung was the first to break it. He chuckled once, bitter, then raised both hands in mock surrender.
"Fine, fine. I know I'm dead weight. That's why I'm handing the reins over to you. Looks like the principal didn't bet wrong after all… Maybe it's finally time this team shined, huh?"
The hollow laugh hung in the air, falling flat.
His tone shifted, serious now.
"You're leader. Every call's yours. Who to recruit, how to play—it's all on you. Just remember: do what's best for the team."
Uy Phong said nothing. After a beat, he gave a single, firm nod.
Seeing that, Hung smirked faintly, laced his hands behind his head, and turned to leave.
"Good. From now on, he's the captain. So listen up. Drop the attitude and follow his lead."
The others muttered weak "yeahs" under Hưng's glare. The atmosphere sagged heavy, suffocating.
Without another word, Hưng walked out. The rest trailed after, leaving only Uy Phong and An Thu in the echo of silence.
The girl had seen it all, her expression twisted with worry. She turned to him, uncertain. He only sighed, stood, dusted off his pants, and started toward the door.
"Uh—senpai!"
He paused, not looking back.
"Congrats on becoming captain!" An Thu cheered, clapping like it was the best news in the world. "From now on, you can count on me for anything! Want me to whip up a recruitment poster?"
Uy Phong let out a quiet huff—half scoff, half laugh. His reply, though still cool, carried a softer edge.
"Yeah. Do it."
He strode away, leaving her grinning ear to ear as she called after him:
"Got it! I'll bring it to you soon!"
Walking out of the gym, Uy Phong's steps echoed down the hall. The bell rang again—recess this time. His phone buzzed in his pocket.
A new group chat: Basketball Club. The first message popped up. Sender: Thien Hung.
"Hey, new leader! Let's get along, haha 😁"
Uy Phong stared at the goofy emoji. It looked just as annoying as Hung's real grin. But maybe… it was his way of showing good faith.
A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips. He pocketed the phone and quickened his pace back to class.
When he stepped through the door, his eyes caught the familiar figure seated by the window. His breath hitched. Unconsciously, his face softened, breaking into a smile that lit up the cold edges he usually wore.
"I thought you'd be out today," he said, sliding into his chair, voice lighter than it had been in ages.
"What, did you miss me?" An Phong teased, grinning back.
"Funny. So—how are you?"
"Me? I'm fine now."
"Really? Your grandpa's cool with it?"
"No. My mom is. What about you?"
"My grandpa's on board too." Uy Phong's grin sharpened, his fang catching the light.
"Good."
Then Uy Phong tilted his head, voice steady, almost solemn.
"Hey… let's give it everything we've got. Don't quit."
An Phong blinked, surprised. But when their eyes met, determination flashing in Uy Phong's, he chuckled softly, making the other boy falter.
"Yeah. Let's."
And Uy Phong found himself smiling too, warmth filling his chest. Turns out… with someone by your side, maybe things weren't so scary after all.
Maybe this was the start of something new.
A new path worth chasing.